Life can be tough for an outside back with the All Blacks, one’s place always under threat from a constant churn of uber athletes ready to step in, step up and show out on the international stage. Credit, then, must be extended to Leicester Fainga’anuku, back in the New Zealand fold after daring to do things differently.
The first few years of Fainga’anuku’s career had been stock standard for a top talent within the country, moving smoothly through the Tasman Mako in the National Provincial Championship into the Crusaders ranks in Super Rugby, before receiving a call up to the national side. But, just before travelling to a first World Cup in France at the age of 23, the Tongan-born centre or wing turned his back on New Zealand to take up a contract with Toulon in the Top 14. Plenty of All Blacks have called time on their international careers to seek a payday, but this was a player not yet in his prime stepping away just as his club coach, Scott Robertson, took over the national team – the timing felt strange.
